Blank for eyeglass and spectacle bridges.



P. A. STEVENS. BLANK FOR EYEGLASS AND SPEGTAOLE BRIDGES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.2, 1914.

Patented May 19, 1914 PRIOR ART frzvnior. ZMJKW Wiinesss W??? Aiiorney.

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FREDERICK A. STEVENS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BLANK FOR EYEGLASS AND SPECTACLE BRIDGES.

romance.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May it}, 1914.

Application filed February 2, 1914. Serial No. 815,854.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that LFnnnnmoir A. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blanks for Eyeglass and Spectacle Bridges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to blanks adapted for use in the manufacture of the bridges for eyeglasses and spectacles.

In this class of bridges it is essential that there should be sufiicient rigidity to firmly support the weight of the lenses, while a certain degree of flexibility should be present to enable the bridge to be bent into its ultimate shape. The bridge blanks are the original units which the manufacturer uti' lizes as the initial member or base of the ultimate bridge, and forms the subject of the present invention.

The essential objects are to provide a blank of such a construction as to render a reverse curve bend unnecessary since these bends, which are more or less pronounced near the ends of the completed bridge, occasion a strain upon the stock at those points which fracture or weaken the material which is necessarily comparatively rigid for the purposes of support; further, to adapt the blank to such a formation that the circular ends thereof may approach the sides of the nose more closely than when the usual re verse bends are present, and thus render the entire arch of the bridge available to engage the sides of the nose and obtain a minimum distance between the lens clamping devices.

To the above ends essentially my invention consists in such parts, arrangement, and

combination of parts, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a final bridge of a pair of eyeglasses formed from a blank of my invention, and including the lens at taching devices, but omitting the guard arms and their attachments. F ig. 2 a plan of a bridge blank of the prior art, showing the adjacent lens attaching devices in broken lines, Fig. 3, a similar view of the same after bending, Fig. 4, a plan View of my novel blank before bending and showing in broken lines the lens attaching devices, and Fig. 5, asimilar view of the blank after bending and showing the lens attaching devices taken on the line a :22, of Fig. 1.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In Fig. 4-. of the drawings is shown my novel blank comprising a bar A made from wire or sheet stock and having integral with each end an enlar ed circular portion B provided with a perIo-ration o and with an integral lug or projection C radially disposed with relation to the portion B and inclined or angularly disposed with relation to the bar A. The entire described blank may be cut at one operation, or the opening Z) may be cut as a second operation.

The described blank is readily adapted to use with the straps D and ears E of the lens attaching device by the insertion of the projections G into openings cl in the straps D, wherein they may if desired be engaged by solder.

The lugs C are engaged with the lens attaching devices in the first instance in the relative positions shown in Fig. 4, prior to any bending of the blank, since by the practice in this art it is essential that the ends of the bridge be engaged with the lens attaching' devices prior to the bending of the bridge. The bridge is completed by then bending the bar A into the position shown in Fig. 5, wherein will be noted that the bridge is arcuate in character with relation to its end portion B, rather than an arch plus two reverse bends.

The above distinction over the prior art is illustrated by a reference to Figs. 2 and 3, wherein the inclined lugs C are absent, and the connection members are attached to the ends of the members B originally in longitudinal relation therewith and with the bar A; so that when the arch A is bent up as shown in Fig. 3 there are essentially created resultant reverse bends as at 9, adjacent the portions B. These reverse bends indicate the points of excessive strain sought to be obviated by my invention, and the opposite points 71, upon the bridge of the prior art as shown in Fig. 3 indicate the excessivedistance of the nose bearing portion of the bridge from the portions B, which excessive spacing applicant has successfully avoided.

W hat I claim is,-

1. As a new article of manufacture, an eyeglass or spectacle bridge blank, com prising a bar provided with enlarged end portions, and an attaching lug upon each end portion inclined With relation to the bar.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an eyeglass or spectacle bridge blank, comprising a straight bar, circular members integral with the ends of the bar, a radial lug upon one member inclined with relation to the bar, and a radial lug upon the other member inclined relatively to the bar and located at the same side of the bar as the first lug.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an

eyeglass or spectacle bridge blank, comprising a straight bar, enlarged members integral with the ends of the bar, a lug upon one member disposed at an angle to the bar, and a lug upon the other member inclined with relation to the bar and to the other lug.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK A. STEVENS. \Vitnesses Enw. H. ZIEGLER, HonArIo E. BELLOWS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, 1). G. 

